This application discloses an invention which is related, generally and in various embodiments, to canned reactor coolant pumps.
In pressurized water nuclear power plants, a reactor coolant system is used to transport heat to steam generators for the production of steam. The reactor coolant system includes a plurality of separate cooling loops, each connected to the reactor core and containing a steam generator and a reactor coolant pump.
The reactor coolant pump typically is a vertical, single stage, centrifugal pump designed to move large volumes of reactor coolant from the reactor core to steam generators for the production of steam. The steam is then used to drive: a turbine generator. The reactor coolant pump typically is a vertical, single stage, centrifugal pump designed to move large volumes of reactor coolant.
During reactor coolant pump thermal transient events, water flowing over the back side of the thrust bearing shoe holder will cause an uneven temperature gradient through the shoe holder resulting in distortion of the thrust bearing shoe during the thermal transient. This thrust bearing distortion may cause rupture of the bearing water film resulting in failure of the bearing.